And One Day, A Queen
by Emotistic Optimistic
Summary: Iduna had never meant for any of this to happen. She hadn't meant to leave the forest, she hadn't meant to join Arendelle's court, and she certainly never meant to fall in love with King Agnarr. But with a home she can never go back to and a secret she can never tell, she must press on, no matter what.
1. Arrival

Everything had happened so fast.

Iduna hadn't even taken a moment to think before letting out the kulning. The clang of metal on metal, the cries of the injured and the rush of the elements, the boy laying limp in front of her—all of it was too much to process, but she knew it needed to _stop_, and there was only one way to do that.

The wind, at least, stopped raging; she had always seemed to like Iduna, so far as to sweep her away at the first hint of trouble just a few minutes before. As Iduna finished her call, the leaves around her chattered as the wind swept over to help. Normally she was the most playful element, tossing people up into the air, but she heeded Iduna's panicked pleas to be gentle with the boy—yes, he was Arendellian, but that didn't mean he should _die._ As the Arendellian soldiers and Northuldran warriors turned their attention to flying rocks and fire blazing in the trees, Iduna and the wind snuck to one of the carts. With a push from a strong breeze, Iduna quietly alighted inside, carefully guiding the boy down to rest. He didn't look too worse for the wear, but…

She heard soldiers calling to fall back, to get the survivors back to Arendelle, and she fell back onto the floor of the cart. If they saw her, they might think she was harming the boy. She had to leave, but her fear froze her in place. But a quick breeze swept a nearby blanket over her head, and a stronger one silently urged her to _stay still!_ She held her breath, tucking herself to be as small and still as possible as she heard running.

"He's here! The prince is here!"

"Oh, thank _god. _Orvik, get him out of here as quickly as possible."

"But Lieutenant, there's…"

"That is an _order, _Orvik." The man speaking let out a shaking breath. "Arendelle needs her new king home safe."

Beneath her blanket, Iduna's eyes widened. Prince? No, _king? _Was that who she'd saved? She started to peek out from under her blanket, but a strong wind rocked the cart.

"I'll get the others to fall back. Get the king _home!_"

"Yes, Lieutenant Mattias!"

Not a minute later, Iduna heard the crack of a whip, and the cart started to move quickly. She finally pulled the blanket off her head, trying to keep from making any other noise as she was jostled with supplies and the still-unconscious b—_king._ They were moving to the edge of the forest; she knew her way around the forest, yes, but if she waited too long she ran a bigger risk of getting lost trying to get back in the chaos. She started to get up, only for the wind to blow her back down.

"Quit it!" she hissed in reply to the howling in her ears. "I need to get down _now._" She tried again, only to be blown back once more. "What are you—"

The words died on her lips as the wind went still, and she caught sight of the gray mass heading toward them. It was mist, but…there was something off about it. This wasn't the morning mist or even the heavy spring mists.

The wind blew at them again, making the soldier driving them whip the horses harder. The young king groaned as they hit a rock, and Iduna watched with growing horror as the mist drew closer and closer. She didn't know what would happen when it caught up, but she knew enough of magic to know this was something terribly old and terribly powerful. And, given how fast it was coming, they wouldn't be able to escape it.

The wind stilled, only for a moment, and a breeze lightly brushed against Iduna's face, blowing her hair out of her eyes. The breeze hopped over to the king, ruffling his hair, before she lifted the blanket and tucked Iduna back beneath it before it stilled again.

Then the biggest, loudest gust Iduna had ever seen blew past them, spooking the horses into moving faster as the wind roared in their ears. She peeked over the blanket, watching as—no doubt with tremendous effort—a wall of air held back the mist. It followed them, just barely keeping the mist back until the cart reached the standing stones. Then, with one last rustle of fallen leaves as a goodbye, the wind dispersed, and mist covered the stones, leaving the forest hidden in a sea of gray.

Iduna's heart pounded in her chest, and she just barely bit back a cry of grief as she watched her home disappear. She hadn't wanted this. She'd just wanted to help.

But she'd made things so, so much worse.

* * *

The ride to Arendelle was long, but Iduna had little problem staying curled up and still. She'd shed a few tears, but she was too wracked from grief and exhaustion to move much at all. The king would periodically half-wake, causing her to fall silent as he mumbled half-words before going deathly quiet again.

But no matter how much her heart hurt, she knew she had to figure out what to do next. If the wind kept the mist away from them, then it certainly wasn't wise to go back home. But Arendelle…Arendelle was _different. _Mother had warned about their ways, their removal and abuse of nature. She couldn't live there, could she?

It was too much to consider right now. For the moment, she would focus on making sure the king was safe; she'd risked too much for him to die on her. His hut would no doubt be big, but she was good at tucking herself into corners and peeking through boards. She'd just stay long enough to see that he was okay, and to figure out how to get back home.

"_Finally_. We're almost there, Highness."

Iduna looked up, poking her head out from under the blanket. She immediately bit her lip to keep from gasping outloud, eyes going as wide as possible. This…this was _nothing _like she could have imagined. Great stone buildings, higher than anything she'd ever seen, with windows that gleamed in the early morning sun. Paths made with _different _stones, with all manner of elegant carts and horses and _people _milling about. People made room as they rode past, and Iduna could hear the whispers from here. While she couldn't decipher any words, worry filled the air so thickly she could almost feel it. But they had to turn into one of these houses eventually. Each one was grander than the next, but there was no sign of stopping. Iduna took advantage of an empty section of street to sit up, looking in the direction they were heading.

"_Wow._"

She couldn't help the awed whisper, and she just barely dove back under the blanket as the soldier turned around. She'd expected a big house for the King of Arendelle. She hadn't expected something that was practically a _mountain _of white walls and blue spires. Suddenly, it was much harder to stay still; if Arendelle was going to be her new home, then she needed to _explore._

Finally, the cart came to a stop. Iduna held her breath as she heard footsteps and voices.

"What happened? Where's the king?"

"Oh my god, is that the prince?"

"He's injured. Take him inside and notify the queen at once."

"And the king?"

"The king…has died."

The several gasps masked the one Iduna let out.

"There was an unexpected battle with the Northuldran people. We lost the king and Lieutenant Mattias, along with others. But we'll work with that later. For now, just get Prince Agnarr to his room and call a doctor."

The cart rocked, and Iduna stayed as still as possible.

"No, no, leave everything else for Hekla. The prince…the _king _is our priority."

The cart rocked again, and Iduna heard another soft groan from the boy.

"Oh, praise be to God, he's still alive."

The footsteps and voices faded away, and Iduna chanced taking off the blanket completely. This, she knew, was a stable; it was a lot grander than the one her family kept their reindeer in, but it was still a bit comforting to be somewhere _almost _familiar. She hopped down from the cart, stretching her legs after being tucked up for so long. All right, so…she was in Arendelle. She'd have to find a way to survive here somehow, but that was fine. She'd be fine. She was already fourteen, after all. She could do this. She just had to take that first step.

So she took a breath and stepped.

And almost ran into the woman undoing the horse's harness.

For a moment, they both froze, startled by each other. But then the woman drew herself up, standing nearly as tall and strong as the horse beside her, her gray eyes narrowing suspiciously at Iduna.

"Guards!" she called, and Iduna's heart leapt up to her throat.

"No, you can't! Please!" she whispered, shrinking back against the cart as if it would shield her from any incoming guards. The woman set her hands on her hips.

"And why not? Stowing away is a crime, and stowing away to get in the _castle _is a crime against _the crown._"

"I-I…I'm not staying in the castle! I just…I didn't even mean to come here!" She cringed back, looking up at the woman entreatingly. "Please, _please. _I'm leaving right now. Just…please don't call any guards."

The woman's lips thinned, but before she could answer, the thundering of feet came from outside the stable. She looked up, then gave a subtle nod toward the back of the cart. Iduna took the hint, quickly darting behind it to hide as two guards came in, swords drawn.

"What do you need, Hekla?" one of them asked, only to get an irritated sigh in return.

"You lot are always so _jumpy_, you'd think you had nothing to do," she grumbled over the sound of restraints being undone. "I said _Balder_, not guards." She patted the horse's side. "If you ever took the chance to meet the horses, maybe you'd know the difference between their names and your stations."

"So…there's no threat?" asked the second guard.

"Not unless you count my quickly decreasing patience a threat, no."

Iduna let out a silent sigh of relief as she heard swords being sheathed.

"Sorry, Hekla. Just…with what happened with the king…" the first guard started, but abruptly stopped as if shushed.

"Wait. Something happened to the king?" Hekla asked.

"It was the Northuldra," the second soldier interjected, voice hot. "They probably used _magic _to…"

"They didn't use _magic_, Lisken, they don't _have _magic. But I guess peace talks went sour, and they killed the king in the fight."

"There's a doctor heading to the prince right now, don't know what shape he's in."

Over the horse's back, Iduna caught Hekla looking down at her, the suspicious look back in her eyes. Iduna hugged herself tighter as she looked up at her pleadingly, shaking her head slightly. Hekla let out a long breath through her nose, then turned back to the guards.

"Well, then we'd best pray Prince Agnarr makes it, hadn't we?" The noise of leather and chains returned. "I'm sure I'll hear all about it in a bit, but _someone _has to take care of Sigurd here. She looks fit to drop."

"Didn't…you say his name was Balder?" Lisken asked timidly, but Iduna could catch the fierce look from her as she looked back at the guards, and the two promptly went on their way.

Once they were gone, Hekla's fierce face dropped, and she knelt her head against Sigurd's back, murmuring what sounded like a prayer. As Iduna stood up, she lifted her head to look at her.

"Thank you," Iduna said softly. "I…I swear, I didn't know anything about the king. I just…everything was such chaos and…" Hekla held up a hand, and Iduna quickly shut her mouth. She stayed quiet as Hekla undid the harness without so much as looking at her, though she fidgeted with her hands as the silence dragged on. Was she going to call the guards back? But then why would she have sent them away? What if she was going to make an _example _of her? Have her arrested and…and…strung up in the middle of Arendelle? Gearrall had said that they sometimes did that to criminals and Hekla _had _said that she was a criminal and…

"What's your name, girl?" Hekla finally asked, nearly making Iduna jump out of her skin.

"Me? I'm…I'm Iduna."

Hekla nodded, pulling the harness off and backing away to let the horse trot away for some rest. "You don't need to tell me what you are, I can tell by your clothes." She looked over Iduna for a moment, face stern. "Now, there's two ways this could end, Iduna. I alert the guards again, and you're taken down to the dungeon…"

"No!" Iduna gasped, but Hekla held up her head.

"_Or_ you keep hidden and go as fast as you can to the cottage just outside of these stables and wait for me there. Then you tell me _everything_." She raised her eyebrows. "So. Are you a smart girl? Because a smart girl would take the latter option."

Iduna nodded silently, and Hekla turned to put the harness away.

"Best get moving, then, Iduna. Otherwise I might think that you snuck in on the prince's cart."

Iduna took a breath, then nodded. "Thank you," she whispered once again, then quickly turned and kept low as she ran to the cottage.

* * *

"So, then, you're Northuldran."

"Yes."

"And…you think _you _brought on that mist when you saved the prin—the king."

"Mm-hm."

Hekla looked hard at Iduna for a moment, then sipped from her steaming mug in silence. Iduna shifted in her seat, looking down at her untouched cup of tea. She'd untied the shawl around her waist a little while ago and now pulled it tighter over her shoulders. Even so, the cottage was drafty, and the sea breeze snuck through the cracks in the walls and the uneven window panes.

"The tea will help."

Iduna looked up as Hekla spoke, then silently took the mug and sipped from it as the older woman watched her keenly.

"You might be able to go back," she suggested. Iduna looked up as Hekla sighed, crossing her arms. "But it's a long journey. And if you really were tucked up under that blanket the whole time…"

"I was."

"…then you'll have no idea how to get there, would you?"

Iduna bit her lip as she slowly shook her head. Hekla sighed, head falling back. "Getting a ride would be a pain, and you haven't got a søl to your name, besides. There's always the orphanage, I guess. You could stay there for a bit…how old are you?"

"Fourteen."

Hekla rubbed her face. "That's awfully old for the orphanage."

Iduna sipped her tea, looking around the cottage as Hekla mumbled some more half-formed ideas of where Iduna could go. It was pretty sparsely decorated, with a few personal items here and there. Next to the door, there was a fine set of bells on a long leather strip. It nearly looked like the one her father had been gifted the first time the Arendellians had come through. Hopefully it sounded just as nice on a horse as it did a…

"Reindeer!" she said, sitting up straight. Hekla lifted a hand from her eyes, thick brows furrowing as she looked at Iduna.

"Pardon?"

"I-I…my family, we raised reindeer, and we use them a lot like how you use horses. So..." She swallowed, adjusting her shawl before she gave Hekla an entreating smile. "If…if you need someone to help with the stable…?"

Hekla stared at her, then shook her head sharply. "No. _No. _Absolutely _not._"

"_Please, _Hekla…"

"I've already saved your neck once, I don't need a brat who's never so much as touched a horse underfoot."

"I won't be underfoot! I know how to muck and herd and…"

"You don't _herd _horses."

"But I bet I can calm them down!" Iduna clasped her hands together, leaning her elbows on the table as she looked up at Hekla. "_Please. _I don't have any money or-or any way to get to another town. I don't have anything anymore. If you let me stay, I'll be the hardest worker you've ever seen."

Hekla glowered at her, then let out a long breath through her nose as she shut her eyes. Iduna held her breath. _Please please please…_

Hekla's face screwed up. "I can _feel _those cow-eyes you're giving me." She rubbed her face again, then sighed as she opened her eyes. "Well, _I _can't do anything," she said. As Iduna's face fell, she added, "But…I can put in a request for an assistant and put it a good word for you."

Iduna let out a gasp in surprise, then started to jump up before Hekla interrupted, "And if you hug me I'll chuck you back up to the forest myself."

Iduna plopped back down in her seat, but she couldn't stifle the relieved smile on her face. It wasn't much, but at least she had _some _sort of hope of a plan. "_Thank you, _Hekla. I…"

"Don't thank me just yet," Hekla grumbled, getting to her feet and grabbing the pitcher of water on the table. "I'm taking you up on the offer of being the hardest worker I've ever seen." She dumped the water over the fire, putting it out with a loud hiss. "There's some blankets in the corner there, you can get cozy in those for tonight. I expect you up with the sun, and be sure to get all that hair out of your face."

Iduna nodded, getting to her feet to settle in with the blankets. Once she reached them, she turned as she heard Hekla very quietly say, "Iduna."

"Yes?"

"You can't tell anyone where you're from," Hekla said, looking at her very seriously. "They told us what happened before I came in. If anyone knows you're Northuldran, _especially _in this castle, you could just lose your head for what your tribe did to the king."

Iduna swallowed, hand automatically going to her neck. Well, she already hadn't planned on saying anything, but that was certainly a good incentive.

"You…you won't tell anyone, will you?" she asked quietly. Hekla shook her head.

"I've no skin in this game, and I'm willing to bet the king wasn't as innocent as the soldiers would have us think," she muttered before absently adding, "God rest him." She took a breath as she set the pitcher back on the table. "But don't you worry, girl. Your secret is safe with me." She nodded toward the blankets. "Now get to sleep. I don't care what kind of day you've had; the horses need to be taken care of first thing in the morning."

Iduna nodded. She pulled off her shawl, carefully folding it and setting it beside the blanket before she pulled off her boots. The blankets weren't particularly soft, but she formed them into a cocoon around herself and was the warmest she'd been since she'd woken up in her bedroll this morning.

Had it really just been this morning? It seemed so long ago.

The thought made a sob bubble up in her throat, threatening to escape. But, just barely, she managed to swallow it down. There would be time to mourn later. For now, she just had to find a way to become Hekla's assistant and stay safe.

From then on, everything else could be weathered. She just had to be strong enough.

And she really hoped she could be.


	2. Introduction

Hekla hadn't been exaggerating about getting Iduna up first thing the next morning, and she'd certainly been making her promise of being the hardest worker Hekla had ever seen hard to keep up. The past four days had been nonstop mucking, feeding, training, brushing…she was barely able to stay awake long enough for dinner before collapsing right into sleep until Hekla shook her awake to do it all over again.

But, truth be told, the hard work was welcome. Her brain was so full of horses and saddles and hay that there was no room to think about the forest or the future or what had happened just a few days before.

"Hey! Freyja doesn't have her bridle on!" Hekla's call brought Iduna back to the present, grimacing as she ran to the stable to fetch it. "Come on, girl, it's common sense. How's anyone supposed to ride a horse with no reins?"

For all of her gruffness, Hekla didn't seem to mind having an assistant all that much. She'd gotten a cot moved into her little cottage the day after Iduna's arrival, and she was remarkably patient as Iduna learned that horses were actually _vastly _different than reindeer, giving short bits of instruction and guiding her into doing things properly.

"There, just push the bit in. Freyja's a calm girl, she won't nip you unless you _really _mess up." Hekla crossed her arms as Iduna carefully got the reins over Freyja's head, then looked over as a young servant—not much older than Iduna, really—ran up to the gate. Hekla let out a _tsk._

"What do you want, Kai?" she asked shortly, making the boy freeze up for a moment before he spoke.

"It's, ah, it's time for inventory," he said, not quite meeting her eyes. "So…if you could just…hand me your list of what you need so Rosskjell can…"

Hekla groaned. "Was that _this _week?"

"If…if you've forgotten, I can just tell…"

"_No_. Don't you _dare_," Hekla said firmly, making Kai stand up straight. "Rosskjell will never let me hear the end of it." She rubbed her eyes, then looked up. "Iduna!"

"Yes?"

"You can write, can't you?"

"Of course I can write." She patted Freyja's neck, then tossed her braid over her shoulder as she walked up to Hekla. Immediately, a pencil and scraps of paper were thrust into her hands.

"Go do a count of what we need, then take it in to Rosskjell. His office is in the west wing of the castle." Hekla gave her a push toward the stable. "If you don't, we'll have some very upset horses."

Iduna made a face. "Can't you do it? You know everything we need, and where Rokill is."

"Rosskjell, and why should I do when I have an assistant right here who promised to be the hardest worker I've ever seen?" Hekla gave her a smirk, then shooed her off toward the stable. Iduna sighed, but this time went to the stable. There was still a good deal of hay, but it wouldn't hurt to get a bit more. They were due to get a new colt next week, so they'd need horseshoes for him. Maybe a saddle, too? Better put it down just in case. And Balgruuf's blanket was getting awfully threadbare…

After what felt like forever, Iduna was pretty sure she'd gotten everything they needed. Now it was just…going into the castle. She had to admit, it was a little exciting; she hadn't been able to go inside yet. She wondered if it was as grand and bright as the outside. A few helpful guards doing their rounds told her how to get inside, and she slipped in through the servant's entrance.

It was _very _grand inside.

Lights blazed on just about every wall, and plush rugs nearly completely covered the gleaming wood floor beneath. There were paintings and swords and tapestries on each wall and servants milling about and a group of well-dressed young ladies walking down the end of the hall and…

Iduna shut her eyes, gathering her wits again. No, don't get distracted. She had to get to Rosskjell, in the west wing. Now, which way was west in here?

Iduna walked through the halls, trying to look as much like Hekla as possible rather than a girl worried about getting lost. Even so, she could practically hear her sister telling her how ridiculous she looked.

Was Yelana okay? What about Mother? Had Father…

She froze and shook her head. No. She wasn't going to think about that, especially not here. All she needed to focus on was getting the list to Rosskjell. Now, the west wing should be here. Or…here? Maybe up these stairs…

"And you're certain this is temporary?"

"Your Majesty, it's only been four days. He's likely only begun to recover from it; really, it's a lucky thing he's doing as well as he is."

"But what if he has amnesia or…"

"If he had amnesia, he wouldn't remember the year. Or your name. Or _his _name."

As soon as Iduna reached the top of the staircase, she caught sight of a man and woman speaking in hushed voices, and automatically she slipped out of sight. The man was in fine clothes, but the woman…her dress was made of heavy, dark damask, and her collar was lined with fur—but something much more delicate and fine than the reindeer and rabbit skins they wore back in her village. Jewels sparkled at her neck and on her fingers, but the most spectacular was the crown that sat on top of her head, the dark blue gems contrasting wonderfully with her golden hair.

Naturally, that had to be the queen. And if they were talking about what Iduna _thought _they were talking about, then this room must be the king's.

She'd clearly taken a wrong turn, and she should go back downstairs to find Rosskjell. But…the queen and the man—doctor, most likely—were going the opposite way. So if she were to just…take a peek…they probably wouldn't notice.

After all, you couldn't save someone and spend hours staying silent next to them without wanting to make sure they were okay, right?

She waited until the queen and the doctor were a few doors away, and made sure that there were no other servants coming this way. Then, as quietly as possible, she padded down the hallway's rug to the door. She peeked around again before reaching for the door and, very, very carefully, opened it just enough to slip inside.

For a king's room, it seemed…rather plain, especially compared to the rest of the castle. Certainly there was furniture, and a massive bookshelf by the window, but…nothing that looked like it belonged to a boy. Maybe that was part of being a king.

The bed _was _impressive, and it was so large and covered in thick down comforters that she almost couldn't tell there was a person on it at all. But she saw a tuft of blond hair between the blankets and pillows, and the tiniest shift of the blankets.

There. He was alive. She hadn't realized how much she'd worried that he's been really hurt, but she'd gotten her confirmation that he was okay and could go on her way.

Or…she could get a better look at him. Just to be sure.

She bit her lip as she stepped a bit closer. This was stupid. She'd get in so much trouble if she was found out, but her curiosity wouldn't let her stop. Just a bit closer…

There.

She tilted her head. He looked more or less the same as he had when she'd gotten him into the cart, but with a touch more color in his cheeks. He breathed softly as he slept, a wave of blond hair falling over half his face.

So. This was the King of Arendelle.

How horrible.

Kings, she knew, had nothing but responsibilities to attend to. The last king had seemed shifty and shallow, with smiles that only seemed to last as long as they needed to. Before the fighting had broken out, this boy had seemed bright-eyed and ready to learn from the Northuldra. Would he be like his father now that he was king?

Then again, it wasn't really her place to wonder that, was it?

She'd better get moving, anyway. Hekla would begin to wonder after her, and that might mean a box on the ear. She stood up and turned, carefully padding out.

"Who're you?"

Iduna froze in place as she heard the hoarse voice, and she slowly turned around. The king was sitting up, pale green eyes unfocused as he looked at her sleepily.

"I…I'm lost," she stammered out as the king rubbed his eyes and grimaced.

"Lost?"

"Y-yeah. I'm…looking for Rosskjell?"

To her surprise, the boy let out a quiet laugh. "You're _really_ lost. Gimme a minute, I can…um..I should…sorry, I'm drawing a complete blank."

Iduna shook her head, starting to back toward the door. "Really, it's fine. I should be…" She tilted her head, eyes widening as she heard footsteps. Someone was coming. She looked back at the king, then pressed her finger to her lips. He dazedly copied her, watching as she sprinted across the room to hide behind his curtains just as the door opened.

"Agnarr! What are you _doing_?"

Iduna peeked out from behind the curtain, watching as the queen swept over to the bedside.

"The doctor says you're to stay in bed until you've recovered, and that means laying down. We need you to be well as soon as possible."

"I'm fine."

"You're _not_ fine, now _lay down_."

The king—Agnarr—mumbled incoherently as he laid back down.

"What was that?"

"There's a girl in here."

Iduna bit back a gasp, instead holding her breath as the queen looked around curiously.

"You're imagining things, Agnarr. No one's allowed in but me, the doctor, and Petra." She knelt leaned over the bed, smoothing her son's hair out of his face. "Now please, rest. Things will be…difficult soon, and you need to be as well as possible."

Agnarr hummed distantly, eyes fluttering closed. The queen stayed by his bed for a moment longer, then straightened up to walk out.

"Mother?"

The queen paused, turning to look back at the bed. "Yes?"

"I can't remember where Rosskjell's office is."

"Do you really need to know now?"

"Yes, it's important."

The queen sighed, clearly debating whether it was worth humoring her son or not. "You go down the stairs, turn right at the first hallway, and go down to the door at the end. Does that help?"

"Mm-hm."

The queen sighed, shaking her head before exiting the room. Iduna held her breath until she heard the click of the door, then leaned back against the cool window for a moment. That had been way too close. After a moment, she slipped out from behind the curtain, sending a big smile toward Agnarr…but he was already asleep again. Iduna's smile grew smaller, but no less genuine, then silently made her way out of his room and toward Rosskjell's office.

Well, that hadn't gone as bad as it could have. But she was going to have to keep a big distance between her and the king from now on. That could get dangerous really fast.

* * *

There was one fundamental flaw in her plan to keep away from the king: she was a servant in his castle. Granted, she lived on the grounds rather than in the castle, and, according to Hekla, she'd likely spend all but the most important holidays out here. It wasn't like stablehands had to attend balls or meetings, after all. And according to the gossip, King Agnarr was still on strict bedrest, and likely would be for some time. Once he _did _fully recover, he'd likely be busy with all sorts of kingly duties. So Iduna was safe.

And even if she wanted to snoop more, there was just no time for it once their new colt arrived. Hekla had named him Jarl, certain that he'd grow into the name, then passed him off to Iduna for breaking. He _could _be a darling, when he felt like it, but he had a strong enough stubborn streak that Iduna's whole days were filled with trying to get him to eat on time, trying to get him used to his bit and bridle, trying to get him to just _listen _to her. And, of course, Hekla was hardly any help, only assuring Iduna that she'd be able to figure things out on her own. Really, it seemed like she was trying to break the both of them.

Today's task was teaching Jarl how to be led. He didn't seem to mind the bit as much today, but trying to steer him was nearly impossible.

"Come _on_, Jarl," Iduna grumbled, playing tug of war with the reins. "It's just a little walk. Just _follow _my lead."

Jarl huffed at her, and Iduna huffed back. She heard footsteps behind her, but they could wait for a moment for her to coax Jarl around the run. She tugged again.

"I'm not even asking you to do anything fancy, Jarl. Just _walk _with me."

"It's you! You're real!"

The voice startled Iduna, and Jarl took the opportunity to throw his head, nearly tugging her off her feet.

"Don't _do _that!" she chided, then called over her shoulder, "Not you, the horse. And of _course _I'm real. Jarl wouldn't be so fussy if I weren't."

Her visitor gave a stifled laugh. "Clearly. Still, I'm glad I wasn't imagining strange girls showing up in my room."

Iduna froze up, and Jarl took the chance to tug his reins away, finally making her lose her balance and faceplant into the dirt. He let out a triumphant nicker before trotting away. Iduna let him go, instead scrambling up to bow as best she could.

"Y-Your Majesty! I…I'm sorry, I didn't expect…I mean, I'm very sorry for…I…" She grimaced as she peeked up, brow creasing as she tried to avoid making eye contact with the boy leaning against the gate before ultimately bowing her head again. "I…I hope you'll forgive me for, um, breaking into your room?"

She still wasn't looking, but she was going to assume that the rustle of fabric was a shrug. "Well, you needed help, and I'm supposed to help people. I don't think there's anything there that needs forgiving. Um, you can stand up, if you want. That doesn't look comfortable."

Iduna stood up as quickly as possible, and Agnarr stifled another laugh before looking over at Jarl. "He's beautiful. Is he new?"

"Yes, and stubborn as anything," Iduna said with a sigh as she crossed her arms. Agnarr glanced at her, then reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a couple of sugar cubes. He gave a whistle, smiling as Jarl looked over at him. Slowly, the colt made his way over, interest piqued as Agnarr held out the sugar cubes.

"This is how I got my horse to like me," he whispered to Iduna as Jarl carefully nosed his way toward the king. "Hekla told me off for giving him sugar, but now I have a friend for life."

Iduna smiled, watching as Jarl finally nibbled at the sugar and willingly let Agnarr stroke his nose. "I might have to sneak some out here, then." She glanced up at the king, still hesitant to look too long. "Are…you feeling better? After what happened?" Agnarr's smile faded, and Iduna swallowed nervously. Maybe she shouldn't have asked that. "I'm sorry, I…"

"You apologize a lot," he said quietly. "But I guess I'm going to have to get used to that, if I'm king now."

Iduna bit her lip. "So you know what happened."

"If Mother hadn't told me, I'd've heard from everyone else." Agnarr stroked Jarl's nose a few times in silence before he said, in a much more formal voice, "Yes, I'm better. Thank you for asking." He turned his head slightly, green eyes looking at her curiously before he bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I'm keeping you from your work."

"I wasn't getting very far with it," Iduna said, reaching forward to pat Jarl's neck. "He's in a much better mood now, so I'm glad you came."

Agnarr smiled, a smaller one than before but still genuine. "If you'll let me, I'd like to come back. I'm not really supposed to be out here yet, but I could only stay inside for so long."

"Only if you bring sugar cubes," Iduna said with a teasing grin before she realized _who _she was teasing. "I-I mean, of course…they're _your _horses, after all, and…"

"I'll fill my pockets with them," Agnarr interrupted with another laugh, then looked up as several voices called "Your Majesty!" around the grounds. He sighed. "I guess that's my sign to go. Thanks for letting me meet Jarl." He reluctantly pulled away from Jarl, started to walk away before he stopped and turned back to them. "Sorry, I'm _so_ rude, I didn't catch your name?"

She blinked. "Ah…I'm Iduna."

"Iduna. Iduna," he repeated, as if committing it to memory. "I'm Agnarr. I mean, you probably knew that. You definitely knew that. I…" He looked up as he heard another call. "I'll be back soon, Iduna!"

Iduna smiled. "I'll see you then, Your Majesty!"

As Agnarr made his way back toward the castle, Iduna looked up at Jarl, who nudged his nose against her head. Well, so much for keeping her distance. But at least the king seemed nice enough…and willing to forgive egregious trespassing.

She found herself looking forward to his next visit.


	3. Funeral

Apparently, the king's visit to the stable had been a sign of his improved health. But rather than celebration, a pall fell over the castle grounds. The windows were darkened, the courtiers and servants milling about the grounds had swapped their typical clothes for dark damask and silk, and black wreathes went up on each of the castle's entrances.

Of course, Iduna knew _why _they were going into mourning. But it seemed odd that they would wait so long after the last king's death.

"It's practicality, is all," Hekla said over their dinner when she'd brought it up. "No one was sure if the prince would make it, and it'd only make sense to have the two together if he _did _die." She looked up at Iduna, shaking her head at the shocked look on her face. "Don't look at me like that."

"But that's _horrible. _Treating death like it's an…an inconvenience or something?"

"I mean, it is." Hekla chuckled at Iduna's unimpressed look. "Look, girl, people die all the time. And Queen Rita's always been the practical sort. I'm sure she's grieving, but when everything in your life is a public spectacle, you have to find a way to make it as easy as possible on the public. Two royal funerals back to back would be too much fuss." She nodded over to a box on Iduna's cot. "Though speaking of, that's for the funeral. All the servants are required to attend."

"Would you not go otherwise?" Iduna asked, getting up to open the box.

Hekla shrugged. "Horses don't care if a king lives or dies, and truth be told, I'd much rather make sure they're taken care of than listen to a priest tell me about King Runeard's soul for an hour."

Iduna furrowed her brow at that, but instead turned her attention to the box. She took a breath as she pulled out a fine-looking black dress.

"Yeah, no trousers allowed for us. It's a pain, but…"

"It's lovely," Iduna murmured, stroking her hand over the soft fabric. She looked up at Hekla, eyes wide. "I'll pay you back for it. You shouldn't…"

"I'm not having you pay to wear uncomfortable clothes to the funeral of a man you've never met," Hekla said gruffly. "Just try to keep it from getting mussed for two days, all right?"

Iduna nodded, running her hand over it again. She sucked in her lips tightly before looking back at Hekla. "Should…I even go? I mean, with what happened, it feels like it's…what if it's not right?"

Hekla let her head fall back with a deep sigh. "Did you _personally _kill the king?"

"No!"

"Then you have just as much right to be there as anyone else." She rolled a shoulder with a grimace before getting up, standing right in front of Iduna with her hands on her hips. "I'm willing to bet that Arendellian funerals aren't like what the Northuldra do, and royal funerals are a whole different mess altogether. People who loved the king will be there. People who hated the king will be there. People like you, who never even met the man, will be there. It's all a big show." She tilted her head. "And besides, if you don't go, then I get a chewing out by the Court Mistress. And do you know how _annoying _that is?"

Iduna smiled a bit before carefully setting the dress back in the box. "What did you think of the king?"

Hekla shrugged as she made her way back to the fire to grab the kettle. "I was employed by him, so my opinion was that he kept my coin purse full enough." She shrugged. "He and the queen didn't fuss themselves with us. Don't think I ever said more than five words to the man, and I've worked here since I was a touch older than you."

Iduna sat down on her cot. "Is the new king like him?"

"Do funerals always bring out questions with you?" Hekla asked shortly, but shook her head. "It's hard to say. We won't know what he's like until he's properly king."

"He's not?"

"Of course not. He won't be of age until he's twenty-one."

Iduna frowned. "What does that mean? The soldiers said he was the king when they left the forest."

"This is the last question I'm answering," Hekla warned as she refilled her cup with steaming tea. "He's next in line to the throne, so the title's his from what I understand. But his mother's calling the shots for now. Just as well, because I don't think anyone wants a concussed teenager running a kingdom." Her thick brows furrowed together as she looked down at her mug. "Don't suppose we know what kind of king he'll be. A lot can change in seven years." She waved at Iduna. "Anyway, you'd best be getting to sleep. We'll have to do twice the work to make up for what we're missing tomorrow."

Iduna pressed her lips together, but she carefully set the box beneath her cot and settled down. Seven years…that was such a long time. What would he be like by then? What would _she _be like by then? Would she be back home? Would there even _be _a home?

She did her best to shove any kind of wondering away as she shut her eyes.

* * *

"And so we commend the soul of King Runeard of Arendelle into the charge of the Lord…"

Iduna fidgeted as the ceremony dragged on, only to get a warning box on the ear from Hekla. At first, she'd been moved by the ceremony and seeing all the people who had come to celebrate King Runeard's life—she'd only been to a few funerals before now, and even having the whole village attend paled in terms of attendance. But then the ceremony kept _going_. And, for all of her misgivings of attending, she found she couldn't even feel guilty, because she really _hadn't _known the king at all.

Her gaze wandered as the servants in front of her shifted, letting her see the nobles standing closer to the priest. And there, right in front, was the Queen and her son. Like before, the Queen was striking —she stood tall beside the memorial stone, shoulders high even as her head bowed soberly. A dark veil hid her face, and she was swathed in a heavy black dress, but even so, her mourning was dignified and silent.

The same couldn't be said about Agnarr.

The young king held a wreath of white flowers, and he was obviously trying to remain as composed as his mother. But his shoulders shook, and while Iduna couldn't hear him from back here, she knew each time his head twitched up had to be a sniffle. His mother's hand lightly rested on his shoulder as she whispered something to him, but she quickly withdrew it as he reached to grip it.

For the first time during the funeral, Iduna felt her throat tighten, and she quickly rubbed at her own eyes as she felt a heavy, warm hand rest on her shoulder.

"Don't tell me this droning's actually getting to you?" Hekla whispered. Iduna shook her head.

"No, no. It's…it's nothing," she said quietly, rubbing at her eyes again. Hekla looked down at her, then squeezed her shoulder.

"Ah, I knew you were soft-hearted. You can cry if you'd like, it doesn't bother me." She patted Iduna's shoulder. "Just try to keep it down; they paid a lot for those professional mourners over there, and they'll be upset if you out-wail them."

Iduna couldn't help laughing a bit, but the tears continued to fall. For the boy who'd lost his father, for the people who'd lost their king, and even for herself, so far away from home. She covered her mouth, trying to keep quiet as every emotion she'd been trying to stuff down for the past two weeks bubbled out of her. As ugly as the grief, the doubts, the uncertainty was, there was something freeing in just…being _sad_.

Hekla's hand went to her head, pulling her in to hug her tightly—though whether it was out of genuine comfort or just to help minimize the sound, Iduna wasn't sure. But she wasn't about to argue any sort of comfort, not now.

To her surprise, the tears didn't last long; the priest hadn't even finished his prayer by the time her sobs had quieted into deep, shuddering breaths. She shifted away from Hekla, sniffling and wiping at her eyes before returning her attention to the ceremony.

"And now, if Their Majesties will come forward to say their final goodbye."

Queen Rita swept forward elegantly, her hand once again on Agnarr's shoulder as she guided him forward. She stepped up to the stone first, kneeling down in one smooth motion. Every attendee was silent as she pressed her forehead to the stone, and even the ocean's waves below the fjord seemed to go quiet. After a moment, she rose to her feet and stepped back. Iduna bit her lip as she watched Agnarr stand frozen in place even as his mother beckoned to him. Finally, he moved jerkily forward, as if he were focusing entirely on moving one foot in front of the other. He stopped in front of the stone, dropping awkwardly to one knee as he set the wreath of flowers down. He stayed in place, head bowed. Then one loud, keening sob rang out over the silent crowd.

So quickly it was nearly invisible, the queen waved her hand, and two servants quickly stepped forward, helping Agnarr to his feet and quietly ushering him back to the castle as he tried to quiet his cries. Iduna watched with wide eyes, ignoring the priest's parting words as she felt her heart twist. Was he not allowed to cry at his own father's funeral? What was so bad about grieving?

She turned back as the crowd gave a murmured "Amen" in reply to the priest, brow furrowing as she saw Queen Rita sweep back toward the castle—still collected, still calm, but definitely walking with purpose. Maybe she was going to comfort her son; Iduna could hope for that, at least. The rest of the crowd followed suit, and Hekla patted Iduna's shoulder again.

"_Finally_, we're free to go," she said. "Come on, you know how fussy Baldr gets when we leave him too long."

Iduna glanced back toward the castle, but followed Hekla slowly. "Where's everyone else going?"

"The reception."

"Reception?"

"Do you not have those back home? You know, the party after the funeral's over. But that's just for the nobles; work doesn't stop for us no matter who dies." Hekla grimaced as she adjusted her black dress uncomfortably. "That, and I'm itching to get back into my trousers."

Iduna chewed her lip as she looked up at Hekla, then back at the crowd. It'd been a long time since she'd seen anything remotely close to a celebration, and knowing how the castle looked, it was probably _beautiful _inside, even with all the mourning. She stopped, fingers fiddling together before she said, "I, um, I think I'm going to stop by the kitchen. Baldr might be in a better mood if I get him a couple apples."

Hekla turned, looking at her warily. "And what's wrong with the apples in the cottage?"

"We're out." Iduna hadn't checked on their apple stock lately, so there was a chance that this wasn't a lie.

"You're not just trying to get _sugar _for them, are you?"

Iduna rolled her eyes. "Just apples. Maybe a carrot if I'm really feeling like spoiling them."

Hekla frowned, crossing her arms for a moment as she debated. "Fine. But no dallying. I don't keep you around to disappear when it's time to work."

Iduna gave a little noise of acknowledgement before heading back to the castle. She wouldn't be _long_; she didn't know the first thing about attending a royal party, much less sneaking in to one. But she could afford a moment to take a look.

Slipping in through the kitchen wasn't too much of a problem; she didn't know the castle staff very well, but they seemed too preoccupied with cooking and dishing and serving to notice her grab a couple apples. She quietly followed a serving girl out of the kitchen, trying her best to stay out of the way while trying her best not to get lost. After a moment, they came out into the largest, grandest room Iduna had ever seen. The ceiling seemed to be as tall as some of the trees back home, with tapestries on the wall and delicate etchings in the wood columns and floor. Enough food had been laid out to feed her whole village at least three times over, and even with the cloud of mourning over the party, there were so many people talking and milling about that the air was practically electric.

Iduna wished _very much _that she could stay.

But Hekla would be irritated if she stayed away for too long, and it was going to be quite a trek getting back to the stables. Her dress had no pockets, so she gripped her apples tightly before slipping her way through the crowd. It was much easier than she thought it'd be, and in next to no time, she was hurrying down one of the hallways back.

"You _know _better than that."

Iduna skidded to a halt as she heard a voice come from behind one of the doors. Up ahead, she caught one of the grand wooden doors just slightly ajar. Her brow furrowed. Should she close it? Seemed like someone was having a conversation in there, but closing it might draw attention to her.

"I-I didn't mean to. I just…" The second voice in the conversation let out a shuddering breath, catching as he tried to speak again. "I-it didn't seem _real _before now."

"Well, it _is _real, and a king should know better than to make a scene like that."

"But I'm not…"

"The moment your father died, _you _became King of Arendelle, Agnarr. So _act like it._ What do we say?"

"Mother, I-I ca-an't…"

A quiet sob interrupted him, but it was quickly silenced by the unmistakable _smack_ of skin hitting skin. Iduna covered her mouth to hide her gasp.

"_What _do we _say_, Agnarr?"

A moment of silence dragged by, followed by a very meek, "Conceal it, don't feel it."

"Don't let it show," Queen Rita replied. "Emotions get the better of you, and you need to learn how to keep them in check. No one wants a quivering wreck leading their country." She sighed. "Go get yourself together. Come back when you can think with your head."

There was a mumble of a reply, and the door opened before Iduna could run away. Agnarr froze as he saw her, eyes wet and cheek still red from the slap. For a moment, it looked as though he might cry again, and he quickly darted away from her, keeping his head down. Iduna hesitated, watching as he hurried down another corridor. She started to step after him, but froze in place as Queen Rita exited the room. The queen looked down at her with sharp green eyes, head tilting very slightly as though trying to place her. Iduna quickly bowed her head politely, hiding the apples between the folds of her skirt.

"I, um, I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," she said quickly. "I'm…" What was she supposed to _say? _"I'm very sorry about the king. Your husband, the king, I mean." She tentatively glanced up and received a small, polite smile from the queen in reply.

"Thank you for your condolences. But if you'll excuse me, I must return to the reception." She looked over Iduna curiously for another moment, then knelt her head before gliding down the hall.

Iduna stayed put in the hallway, chewing her lip as she fiddled with her apples. She should really head back to the stable, especially after being caught like that. That'd be the smart thing to do.

But, then again, Hekla always said she could be awfully stupid sometimes. This might be one of those times she needed to be.

* * *

_Don't let it show. Don't let it show. Don't feel don't feel don't feel_…

Agnarr gritted his teeth as another wave of hot tears stung his eyes, hugging his knees tighter as the sea breeze made him shiver. The stairs leading to the water had always been where he could clear his head, but it wasn't helping in the least. His mother was right, of course. He couldn't let his grief get the better of him, not when all eyes were on him. But he _couldn't stop_.

He took a shaking breath as he wiped at his eyes again, trying to restart his mantra. If he told himself to conceal it and not feel it, then maybe it'd actually work. He swallowed hard, curling up tighter as he heard the door behind him click open.

"I'll…I'll be at the reception in a minute," he said, hating how thick his voice was. "Tell my mother I…" He opened his eyes and was immediately met with a shiny red apple right in front of his nose.

"It's for the horses, but they make pretty decent snacks for humans, too."

"Iduna?" Agnarr finally uncurled, looking up at Iduna with wide eyes. She gave him a small smile, wind tugging at her loose curls as she pushed the apple toward him again. He silently took it, watching as she sat down beside him and bit into her own. "How…how did you find me?"

"Luck," she said, then glanced up at him. "Well, that and I asked Gerda where the king liked to run off to when he wants to be alone." She took another bite. "Servants know everything, you know."

"I guess so." He swallowed hard, rolling the apple in his hands as he felt his ears burn in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to see me like this. I…"

"I don't mind," she said. "You're grieving, you're _supposed _to be sad."

But he _shouldn't _be. He should be able to separate himself from his emotions. He should be able to be as cool and calm as his mother. He _should _be able to be _rational._ And that's what he should have told Iduna, but instead what came out was a choked, "Everything happened so fast. I woke up a-and my father was de-was gone and I was king and we-e lost so many soldiers a-and…and everything's so _different _now."

He dropped the apple and quickly covered his face as he took a gasping breath. _Don't feel. Don't feel. Don't feel. Don't…_

Two arms wrapped around him tightly, Iduna's cheek resting firmly on his shoulder.

"I know. I understand," she whispered. "I'm grieving, too. It's _so hard._" Her voice caught, and she hugged him even tighter. "You can be sad. You're allowed to."

There were several kingly ways to deal with this kind of treatment. Agnarr ignored all of them, leaning heavily on Iduna and letting out the shaking breath he'd been holding. And with her permission, he finally stopped fighting. He let himself sink into the sadness, the uncertainty, the deep _ache _that had filled him since he'd woken up. He grit his teeth, hand reaching up to grip Iduna's arm like a lifeline. If she stopped hugging him now, he might just completely fall apart.

Surprisingly, no tears came with this wave of sadness. Really, it was surprisingly relieving to just _be sad_, and more relieving still to finally, _finally _be comforted.

They stayed motionless and silent, Iduna's hug never slackening even when he resurfaced from his thoughts. Slowly, he lifted his head, taking a few deep breaths as he let go of her arm.

"Thank you," he whispered as she finally unlatched from him, taking a moment to wipe her own eyes. "Really, Iduna, thank you. You didn't need to come over here."

She gave him a smile, a little wobbly but surprisingly bright, as she took his hand and squeezed it tightly before letting it go. "It's what I'd want someone to do for me."

Agnarr tried his best to smile back, though he wasn't sure how well it actually came across. As it faded, he looked over her face curiously. "I…this is out of nowhere, but have…have we met before?"

"I wandered into your room and you visited the stables."

He shook his head. "No, before that. I just…look, this sounds crazy, but I feel like I _know _you."

Iduna bit her lip, looking away before looking back up at him and shaking her head. "No. I just moved here a couple weeks ago, Your Majesty."

Agnarr grimaced, feeling his ears burn again. "Of course. I'm sorry, it's…it's probably from hitting my head." He turned away from her slightly, looking back out at the water. "And I…probably made this really awkward. I'm sorry."

"You apologize a lot." Agnarr looked up as Iduna lightly leaned against him. "But so do I, so I get it."

Agnarr half-smiled, then let out a long sigh as he looked back at the water. "You should really come out here when it's sunny. Or when the lights are out, my…my father took me out in one of the little boats one of those nights, just a few months ago." His throat tightened, but the feeling wasn't quite so uncomfortable now. "I'm really going to miss him."

"And that's okay," Iduna murmured. "If you miss him, that means you loved him a lot. I think that's a good thing."

Agnarr glanced at her, then swallowed before he shifted. "I…I should probably get back." He smiled wryly as he got to his feet. "I think I can actually conceal, don't feel now." He held out his hand to Iduna, who frowned.

"That doesn't seem right," she said before taking his hand and pulling herself up.

"It helps. It really does; I like being able to think straight." The words didn't quite feel honest as they left his mouth, but he'd told himself the same thing so many times that it had to be. He was just a little more emotional right now was all.

Iduna didn't look convinced, but she didn't press anymore. "Well, I should get back to the stables. Hekla's going to be furious that I took so long getting apples."

"I can talk to her if…"

Iduna shook her head. "No, I don't need the King to make any excuses for me." She smiled at him. "I can take care of myself just fine, don't you worry." She climbed up the steps, then stopped and glanced back at him. "But you _will _need to sneak some sugar in next time you visit the horses. They'll be upset that I was spending time with you instead of them."

For the first time in several days, a croaking laugh escaped Agnarr. "I promised before I'll fill my pockets with them, and I always keep my word."

Iduna gave him another warm smile, then quickly slipped back into the castle. Agnarr stayed put for a moment, taking a deep breath of the chilled air.

He could conceal his grief now, but it had been nice, in a weird sort of way, to let himself feel it. He was very lucky to have found someone to tell him that, to give some comfort instead of just rules and reason.

Maybe one day he could return the favor.


End file.
